The invention relates to an intake module for an internal combustion engine having a first volume receiving the combustion air and a second volume from which the combustion air is distributed to the cylinders of the internal combustion engine.
The published patent application DE 4403219 discloses a prefabricated intake module for a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine. The intake module has a divided housing comprising a first shell with an air inlet and a second shell, which has an intake pipe, which opens into an air intake manifold. From this manifold inlet, inlet ports lead to the inlet valves of the internal combustion engine. For the injection of fuel into the air flow through the inlet ports an injection valve is provided at each outlet opening of the inlet ports inside the housing. In order to make the intake module as simple and compact as possible, an intake air filter is arranged in the module housing. The two shell parts are tightly bonded or welded.
EP 0 931 926 A1, EP 0 501 514 B1 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,664,533 disclose internal combustion engines in which throttle mechanisms having throttle elements, which regulate the quantity of air delivered to the internal combustion engine, are arranged between an air filter and an intake manifold having multiple inlet ports.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,446,591 B1 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,425,363 B1 describe intake systems for internal combustion engines, within which compensation flaps are arranged, which make it possible to adjust the intake distance covered by the air drawn in by the internal combustion engine. In this way the intake air travel distance and the volume of the intake system can to a certain extent be adjusted to the speed of the internal combustion engine. Such an intake system is also referred to as a variable inlet manifold.
It is the object of the present invention is to provide an intake module of the aforementioned type which however will provide for improved air flow to the inlet ports leading to the inlet valves.